Transcription

[MS 254]
By private letters from Sydney Cove we learn that 

(find the newspaper)

Morning Post Sept 17 1808

[MS 255]

May It please your Lordship,   New South Wales 4 Nov 1808

We your memorialists being free Planters & Inhabitants in the colony called new south wales humble implore your Lordships permission to lay before you in a concise manner the State of this country as well as the cause and effects of the change of government that took Place in January last.

His Excellency Governor Bligh took the Reigns of government - under the greatest disadvantages owing to the great distresses caused by the dreadfull flood Just before His Arrival - from which came great numbers of the indousterous Farmers were brought to the greatest distress & total want of Bread to which time it required the greatest wisdom & prudence to govern the Colony and a more proper person than His Excellency Governor Bligh could not have been given - who by his most salutary orders put a stop to the Barter of spirits the first of dealers who were generally employed by our trading officers - suppressed  extortion and the colonial cash notes - the drawers of which were making a tread of them by charging from 25 to 40 percent whenever any of the holders of such Bills presented them for consollidation.

Your Lordship will be well aware that these and similar? regulations were of the greatest service to the indoustrerous  whilst they struck at the vitals of that monopoly & extortion  which had to long reigned in this colony by which many of the officers and leading men had inriched  themselves to the ruin of the Inhabitants in general.

on the 26th January your Memorialists were struck with the utmost consternation upon hearing that His Excellency Governor Bligh was deposed and all his papers both public & private seized and said to be by the advice of John McArthur Esquire who was that same day liberated from the county gaol by Major Johnston in defiance of the civil Law who

By private letters from Sydney Cove we learn that Major Johnston was induced to adopt the strong misuse of seizing the person of Governor Bligh as well to exempt him from [indecipehable]  as to avert the popular tumults which Threathened? to Break out any moment, the Governor these letters say, at first determined to neither intervention [?] of  Major Johnston to arrest him, and having defied in full as ? outsed, and in ?, to arrest him, but Governor Bligh had concealed himself; and after an hour's work was found under a bed from which he was dragged by ? Major Johnstone  immediately offered a free departure .. the minds of the people and, it is said that the ?  the attention aware as ? rejoiced at the ? happened,  that a general illumination  took place for the ?   do not .pretend to know any ? respecting the conduct which excited this popular movement or how far Major Johnstones proceedings are Justified by this state of affairs in the Colony. 

Morning Post Sept  17 1808

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